Faredah Mohsen al-Murahhem
Art Education Department, Umm al-Qura University, al-Zahir St., Makkah, Saudi Arabia e-mail: Fmurahhem@hotmail.com

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THE NINETEENTH CENTURY WESTERN TRAVELLERS’ CONCEPTION OF THE ARĪM: RESTORING THE CULTURAL COMPLEXITY OF THE IJĀB IN ARCHITECTURE al-Murahhem, Faredah Mohsen
Journal of Islamic Architecture Vol 1, No 4 (2011): Journal of Islamic Architecture
Publisher : Department of Architecture, Faculty of Science and Technology, UIN Maliki Malang

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | Full PDF (1825.147 KB) | DOI: 10.18860/jia.v1i4.1771

Abstract

This paper examines 19th   century Western travellers’ understanding of the ḥarīm. Focusing in  particular on visual  depictions,  it  investigates  the  misconception  and  misrepresentation  of  the  ḥarīm  in  Orientalists’ paintings and Western culture, using thework of the artist John Frederick Lewis as a main case study. Arguing that such representations oversimplify and fantasise sacred Islamic cultural experience,  this  paper,  as a counterpoint, restores a detailed understanding of the ḥarīm and defines its wider Islamic implication within Arabic culture. Applying etymology and Islamic scripture to the study of architectural design,  this study explores the centrality of the concept of ḥijāb (veil) to the organisation of physical space for women in the Islamic home. Written from the perspective of an Arabic Muslim  woman, this study seeks to explore the concept of the ḥarīm from the “Others” perspective. Keyword: Western travellers, Orientalists, Muslim women, ḥarīm, Arabic culture
THE ARAB HALL: A SPATIAL READING FROM WITHIN Al-Murahhem, Faredah Mohsen
Journal of Islamic Architecture Vol 6, No 2 (2020): Journal of Islamic Architecture
Publisher : Department of Architecture, Faculty of Science and Technology, UIN Maliki Malang

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.18860/jia.v6i2.8340

Abstract

This study highlights a woman's impressions and experiences of the interior of the Arab Hall at Leighton House. It is a spatial reading of the Hall from within, as an Arab and a Muslim. A woman who comes from this culture and has experienced at first hand the general ethos of imaginary interior scenes with lack of a complete understanding of such cultural context. The study focuses on the identity of the Arab Hall and examines its interior from these standpoints. It explores the origin of some artifacts of the Hall and the East's impact on Lord Leighton. It investigates the authenticity of the hall and whether it is of an Islamic or Arabic interior via encountering the Hall architectural elements with some Islamic historical sites that Leighton visited. The analysis dives deep into the usage and the staging of these artifacts according to the Arabic culture. More importantly, this study states –for the first time–the mistreatment and misuse of some of the Quranic Phrases. 
My House and Coronavirus: Experiences of the Pandemic Full Lockdown Al-Murahhem, Faredah Mohsen
Interiority Vol. 5, No. 2
Publisher : UI Scholars Hub

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar

Abstract

On March 2, 2020, Saudi Arabia announced the first coronavirus case. A complete lockdown started in Makkah on April 2, 2020. The holy capital of Islam has always been packed with pilgrims, but the situation was different with COVID-19. The full lockdown continued in Makkah even during the holy month of Ramadan. This study discusses the experience of full lockdown in the context of Makkah with its unique status as a holy city, with the longer period of its complete lockdown compared to other Saudi cities. The article presents a case study focusing on the interior design students at Umm al-Qura University in Makkah. The students’ experiences of the pandemic and the full curfew are discussed using descriptive and analytical methods. This article highlights the students’ challenges and difficulties regarding their emotions, specifically concerning the house and considers the functionality of its interior space. The study concludes with an evaluation of the inconveniences and discomforts of the domestic space. This article highlights some key observations, such as the lack of fresh air and natural light in some zones. Finally, the study notes several cultural issues that had a major impact and suggests some recommendations for future house planning.